"...for my house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples." Isaiah 56:7

"O Lord,...you have been pleased to bless this house of your servant, so that it will always remain. It is you, O Lord, who blessed it, and it will be blessed forever." 1 Chr 17: 26-27

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“From here in Ephesus, a city blessed by the presence of Mary Most Holy — who we know is loved and venerated also by Muslims - let us lift up to the Lord a special prayer for peace between peoples.” - Pope Benedict XVI, Papal Homily at "Mary's House" in Ephesus, Turkey, November 29, 2006

Tell me about Sr.Marie and this Foundation!

OK! Watch the RomeReports Film to your right. Then view our Foundation Filmjust below it for a glimpse into the inspiring and hopefilled Cause of Sr. Marie. (Reading material below DONATE button.)

Virtual Tour of Mary's House

Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal ~ Paris, France

Parents of Archbishop Giuseppe G. Bernardini, OFM, Cap.

Prayers for the Beatification of the Servants of God
Sergio Bernardini and Domenica Bedonni
EnglishSpanishRecall that Arch. Bernardini is the one to give the Imprimatur to the Prayer for Sister Marie's Beatification!

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Father Poulin didn’t intend to read all of the Catherine Emmerich book, until he started and made the startling discovery of how well and simple it was written. Then he finally convinced his colleagues and they were all interested in Ephesus and Mary’s house.

Father Poulin, satisfied with his good decision about reading the book, opened it, then became ashamed. “I didn’t wish to be seen with this book in my hands!” So he stood by the corner of the table ready to throw it down if somebody should knock on his door.

“I read the foreword first . . . Let us go on! . . . then the preface, then the third . . . a note concerning Catherine Emmerich. Here we are! I started to read this note slowly, looking for some stupidities or extravagances. “You can imagine my surprise! It was something very pious, very simple, all conforming to good sense; I was astonished! There was sweetness, words and style which invaded you slowly, going straight to your heart.”

He read on, charmed by the text when the big bell rang. “What! Seven o’clock already!” He had been reading for an hour and was thrilled. He left the book open, placed it on the table and left for the church. At eight o’clock, he was back, took up the book again and began reading. This time, he didn’t hide. He read the note on Catherine Emmerich until the end with delight in everything he was reading and everything he was learning . . . but he still wasn’t a convert.

Following the note there was a title in big black letters: The Suffering Passion of Jesus Christ according to Catherine Emmerich. When he looked at the title, all his repugnancy returned. But this time, Father Poulin overcame it. He turned the page; continued reading. “I had never read anything so pious, so beautiful, so interesting about our Lord’s Passion . . . except the gospel. I wasn’t reading,” he said. “I was devouring the pages.”

Father Poulin was anxious to share his unexpected illumination. Only his colleagues didn’t agree with him and they let out a loud sigh of disagreement.

“But do read it,” Father Poulin answered. “Read and you will see.”

“Me . . . reading things like that,” one replied. “I have no time to waste!”

“If I read it,” a fourth associate said “I must go to confession.”

And the jokes continued. Everyone laughed. Father Poulin was alone against the opposition and despite his arguments, his exhortations, he failed to convince them.

From that time on, each evening or during recreation, or occasionally because of his reading or because of some reflection, there were amicable arguments.

Finally, one evening in early January 1891, the group eagerly argued about Catherine Emmerich. One of the elders, Father Dubulle said, “Mother Superior; I was like you, unbelieving, and without any will to read. But then I read it and now I believe what it says.”

“Oh! I don’t believe it at all,” Father Poulin quickly responded. “But I agree, it is very simple, very pious, very right and very interesting.”

“Have you read the Holy Virgin’s Life?” Father Dubulle asked Father Poulin.

“No . . . I don’t know if it exists.”

“Would you like to read it?”

Father Poulin looked at Father Dubulle for a few moments. “Of course . . . with pleasure.”

Father Dubulle left the room and a few minutes later, returned holding a small book bound in black entitled: “The Holy Mary’s life according to the visions of Catherine Emmerich translated from German by the Abbe Calzales,” etc.

Father Poulin took the book and started to read it like he did the suffering passion of Jesus, with a delicious feeling. There was that same piety, simplicity, the same rectitude, the same attractive unction and the same interesting facts and sayings.

As he read the last chapters where Catherine Emmerich wrote about Mary’s stay at Ephesus, her house, her death and her grave, he exclaimed, “What’s this? I had never thought in my life of Jerusalem or Ephesus, or of Ephesus more than Jerusalem! I had never had the opportunity of any revelation!”

Meanwhile, the question was transformed and full of interest for all of them. They were in Smyrna and thus interested in Ephesus.

During the first recreation, Father Poulin loudly announced his discovery to everyone. “Hey . . . all of you, listen, listen to me! I’ve found the answer!”

Thus, the discussions started again but with more passion than before. For the next weeks and months, it was the primary topic of their conversations.

Then, by common agreement, they adopted a resolution: “It’s quite easy,” one said. “We can go and see if it’s true or it isn’t. If it’s true, we have to accept the evidence; if it’s not true then we finish with Catherine Emmerich; she will be considered to be only a visionary, thus nobody will speak about her anymore.”

Segment 11: After several discussions, Father Poulin and his colleagues come to a decision: go to Ephesus.

For previous Segments scroll the left tool bar for "Sister Marie Series by Dan Murr"

Mini Bio of Sr. Marie by Carl Schutle, C.M.

Sister Marie de Mandat-Grancey, Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, was born of a noble and holy family in the Diocese of Dijon, France on September 13, 1839. She desired from a young age to serve God with all her heart and answered her vocation. (Postulant, May 27, 1857, First Vows, September 27, 1862.) At the end of her second assignment in France she was inspired to find the House of Mary in Ephesus, Turkey. At that time Pope Leo XIII requested missionary assistance in Asia Minor. Sister Marie responded.

In 1886 she served as the French Naval Hospital in Smyrna, Turkey, and was appointed Superior in 1890. While in Smyrna she encouraged as expedition to find the House of Mary, Mother of Jesus, headed by Vincentian Priests. On July 29, 1891, Mary’s House, built by St. John the Apostle, was discovered. Archaeologists identified the ruins of a 1st century A.D. house with a Church from the 4th century A.D. having been built over it. On October 21, 1891, Sister Marie received permission from Fr. Fiat (Superior of the Vincentians) to purchase the property in her name which occurred on November 15, 1892. Sister Marie restored the House making it a place of pilgrimage for all people, especially Christians and Muslims. During restoration, three stones from the hearth, built by the Apostles, were found. One of these stones (cornerstone) was given to the de Mandat-Grancey Family Chapel in France to confirm her holy life, work, and devotion to God and the Blessed Virgin Mary, uniquely identifying Sister Marie with this primitive Apostolic community.

All of our recent Popes have visited the House: Pope Paul VI on July 26, 1967, Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass November 30, 1979, and Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass on November 29, 2006. Sister Marie lived a life of detachment, dedication, virtue, obedience, and charity; she died on May 31, 1915. Her Cause of Beatification was opened on January 21, 2011.

We encourage all promoters to download, print, copy and bind any articles, booklets, or leaflets found on our website –www.sistermarie.com- for non commercial distribution. Non English speaking promoters may have any article or leaflet faithfully translated into their local language for the purpose of advancing promotion for the opening of the cause for the beatification of Sister Marie.